The Seventh Fleet
by Stephen Ratliff
Summary: Marrissa Story #19. Stargazer Mission. In which our hero saves the remains of a decimated Federation attack force


  
Title: The Seventh Fleet  
Author: Stephen Ratliff (sratliff@runet.edu)  
Series: TNG, Marrissa Stories  
Parts: NEW 1/1  
Rating: [PG] for battles.  
Codes: n/a  
  
Summary: 114 ships left in the Seventh Fleet. 12 returned, according to  
DS9's "A Time to Stand" This is the story of the 7th Fleet. It is the  
story of a young girl who assumes command to save the fleet. A Marrissa  
Story.  
  
Author's Forward  
  
It's time for the newest Marrissa Story. This one is set after  
"The Walls of Jellico" It will be posted a part a week over the next  
couple months.   
In my older stories, I use to include a cast and posting list as  
part of an appendix. After Who Q? Where Q? I discontined the practice.  
However, some recent comments I recieved have indicated that such a  
resource would be welcome. So, I'm including it in this post  
Because of it's placement in the series, this story revises the  
reading order. Here is the revised order (with original posting order  
in these)   
  
1. Enterprized (1)  
2. Battle For Bajor (2 as "A Gul's Revenge)  
3. All the King's Horses (14)  
4. Cadet Cruise (3)  
5. Who Q? Where Q? (4)  
6. Away From Home (5)  
7. The Captain and the Doctor (9)  
8. A Royal Mess (6)  
9. Home For Christmas (15)  
10. Time Speeder (7 being revised as "Athena Prospects")  
11. Premier Maquis (10)  
12. The Only Constant (12)  
13. The Walls of Jellico (16)  
14. The Seventh Fleet (New 17)  
15. A Royal Wedding (8)  
16. A New Generation (11)  
17. Falling Into Command (13)  
  
I will be posting these stories in that order over the next  
couple of weeks.   
I hope you enjoy the story. Please send any comments to  
sratliff@runet.edu or post to the group.  
  
Live Long and Prosper,  
  
Stephen Ratliff  
  
Cast in order of appearance:  
  
Rear-Admiral Jean-Luc PicardCommanding USS Enterprise  
Commanding Third Fleet  
Lt. Clara SutterJunior Assistant Chief Engineer,  
USS Enterprise  
Lt. Cdr Marrissa PicardFirst Officer, USS Stargazer  
Lt. Jay GordonSecond Officer, USS Stargazer  
Lt. Ross LochardChief of Security, USS Stargazer  
Lt. Katherine LochardAssistant Fighter Commander, USS Stargazer  
Cpt. SinclairCommanding, USS Armageddon  
Lt. Virginia SzustakowskiChief Engineer, USS Stargazer  
Jacqueline "Jackie" PicardMarrissa's sister (age 2)  
Dr. Beverly PicardMother of Jackie  
Tom CoxThe babysitter  
Rene Picard, jrSon of Isabelle and the late Rene Picard  
(age 2)  
Theresa PicardAunt of Rene Picard, jr (age 5)  
Lieutenant WilliamsChief Engineer, USS Nimitz  
Cpt GreerCommanding, USS Virginia, later USS Nimitz  
Cpt William T. RikerFirst Officer, USS Enterprise  
Cdr DataSecond Officer, USS Enterprise  
Adm Victor GriestAsst Chief of Star Fleet Operations  
  
101374  
Prologue  
  
The Enterprise-E felt empty without the children. That was a  
statement that Jean-Luc had never thought he would make. He never  
wanted a command with families; not that the Enterprise-E had as many  
as the Enterprise-D had had. However with his own family gone, the ship  
seemed to be missing something. He'd sent Beverly, Jackie, and Nicholas  
to live on Earth for the duration of the war. The Rear Admiral had once  
felt that that a starship was no place for children. Without his own,  
however, he prowled the halls of the Enterprise in search of something  
to fill that hole in his life.  
Just three and a half, almost four, years ago, he would have  
never done this. Then he had met and adopted Marrissa. That young girl  
had changed him more than he would admit. He married Beverly Crusher,  
and together had now not one but two children, a cute little two year  
old girl who knew just how to get her way with her father, and a new  
born baby boy. Beverly accused him of spoiling little Jackie, but when  
that little girl looked up with her beautiful blue eyes and tossed back  
a wisp of her strawberry blond hair in a gesture that so reminded him of  
Beverly, he just had to cave in.  
Up ahead was the deck 20 rear observation lounge, a small lounge  
that was a good place to watch the stars go by. It was where he use to  
find Marrissa when she was troubled back before she left her post as the  
Enterprise's Chief of Security to become first Fighter Commander, then  
First Officer of the Stargazer. He'd stopped there every night since  
Beverly and the children had left.   
This time it wasn't empty though. Clara Sutter, his oldest  
daughter's best friend, was laying on one of the couches, and looking at  
the stars. "Mind if I come in, Clara?" Jean-Luc asked.  
"Come right in Captain," Clara said, knowing his preference for  
not using his full rank unless necessary.  
He took a seat on a nearby chair, and looked at the young lady.  
Only thirteen years old, and an Assistant Chief Engineer on a starship,  
the Lieutenant had accomplished a lot. Commander La Forge called her  
his most promising officer, a title he did not bestow often. In fact,  
since La Forge had become Chief Engineer, only Wesley, Ensign Lefler,  
and Clara had been accorded that title. Clara was normally a confident  
girl, she took to the Engine Room like she had been born into it. In  
her element, she was unshakable. Tonight however, she didn't look so  
sure of herself.  
"Troubled tonight, Clara?" Jean-Luc Picard inquired.  
"Does it show?" Clara asked.  
"Not really," Picard replied. "It's just that I find the people  
tend to visit this lounge when they need to think."  
"Oh," Clara said. After a moment's silence, she continued. "I  
guess I am a little troubled. I just heard that the Seventh Fleet is  
going to make an attack deep into Cardassian territory."  
"Worried about your best friend?" Jean-Luc Picard asked.  
"A little," Clara said. "I mean Marrissa's gotten in and out of  
battles before, but we're at war now, and before I've always been right  
there. I've never had to wonder how she was doing."  
"I'm worried about her too," Jean-Luc Picard said. "I keep  
telling myself that she's a big girl now, First Officer of her starship.  
She can take care of herself. Then I keep remembering how she was that  
first month after I adopted her, when ever comment put her in tears. I  
remember every time she got hurt, and my mind starts imagining what  
could be happening too her. But I have to put that aside. I am a  
starship Captain. I have a ship and a fleet to command. I can worry  
about her latter."  
"So you do your duties during the day, and end up haunting the  
ship at night," Clara summarized.  
Rear Admiral Picard nodded and they lapsed back into silence.  
He turned toward the window, and for awhile, the two watched the stars  
streak by as the Enterprise patrolled.  
  
101374  
Chapter One  
  
The bridge of the Stargazer was in pretty good condition, all  
things considered. After all they were in battle, and the fleet they  
were part of had been reduced from 114 to less than twenty. So the  
blackened Ops console, and the shattered panel next to the Captain's  
Chair was to be expected. Lieutenant Commander Marrissa Picard was in  
command, since Captain T'Gwen Washington had been taken to Sickbay.  
Lieutenant Ross Lochard was at tactical, his wife Kathy was at the helm.  
The Second Officer, Lieutenant Jay Gordon held the Fighter Command  
station, but was functioning as Operations Officer.  
"Kathy, hard to port, Ross, fire torpedoes, 32 mark 5, now"  
Marrissa ordered. "Jay, fleet status."  
"The Kennedy had just been destroyed," Jay announced. "We've  
still got the Armageddon, the Hikura, the Hermes, the Virginia, the  
Rabin, the Churchill, the Majestic, the Kentucky, the Paris, the Devin,  
the Nimitz, the Pike, the Sullivans and us. The enemy forces have been  
reduced to 30 ships."  
"What's the kill score?" Ross asked.  
"101 them, 134 us," Jay said.  
"I'd say we were willing if it weren't for the number left,"  
Ross commented as the Stargazer made another pass on a Jem'Hadar ship.  
"Jay, who is in command of the fleet?" Marrissa asked.  
"No one has sent any orders since Captain Thompson and the  
Harriman were destroyed," Jay said. "Why, do you have a plan to get us  
out of here?"  
"I'm working on one," Marrissa said. "How far apart are the two  
stars in this system?"  
"Point two A.U.s," Jay replied.  
"Perfect," Marrissa smiled. "Open a secure channel to all Star  
Fleet Vessels."  
"Channel open," Jay replied.  
"This is Picard of the Stargazer," Marrissa began. "I think I  
can get us out of here. Any objections?"  
After a brief pause, a response came in, "This is Captain  
Sinclair of the Armageddon, if you've got a way out, we'll take it.  
However, I have lost warp drive."  
"All ships, send a status report," Marrissa ordered. "Virginia,  
Churchill, Majestic, break off and set your sites on a the ship  
designated target Gamma Four. Armageddon, draw the fire off those three  
and lead them towards the Kentucky. Pike, Sullivans, converge on the  
Kentucky. Stand by for further orders."  
Marrissa turned back towards Jay and said, "I'm going to need  
Lieutenant Szustakowski on the Bridge. She has some experience with  
shield linking and warp field theory was her Engineering concentration."  
"She's on her way," Jay informed. "It appears that our only  
problem of immediate concern on the fleet is the Armageddon's warp  
drive."  
"That's not going to repair itself," Lieutenant Ross Lockard  
stated.  
"We'll find a way to bring them along," Marrissa stated as  
Lieutenant Virginia Szustakowski entered the bridge.   
"Reporting as ordered Captain," the Chief Engineer said.  
"Gina, if we were to run a group of ships between those two  
stars at say, warp 4, would that cause enough tidal forces to cause a  
nova?" Marrissa asked.  
"You'd have to link up all the ship's shields, synchronize all  
the warp fields, and maintain a fairly rigid formation, but yes,"  
Szustakowski said.   
"Can we do it with the current ships and tow the Armageddon  
along," Marrissa inquired.  
"Towing the Armageddon makes it harder, but I think we can do  
it," the Chief Engineer replied, her mind going though the necessary  
equations. "The Stargazer would have to lead, and we'd have to have  
three rings of four starships behind her."  
"Get me that formation," Marrissa said. "Open that channel  
again Jay. We may get out of this yet."  
"All ships are listening," Jay responded.  
"Ok, this is going to be tricky everyone," Marrissa began.  
"We're going to attempt the Flare escape. I'm transmitting the courses  
you will need to take and targets to hit along the way. Be ready to  
link shields and warp fields. Armageddon, you'll need to be in position  
early. We'll be towing you in the center of the formation."  
"Understood Stargazer," the Armageddon's captain replied. "But  
if we don't make it to your formation in time, leave without us."  
"That's a no go, Armageddon," Marrissa replied. "I intend to  
take all of the ships out of here."  
  
As the ships moved toward the two stars, they shot passed  
Jem'Hadar ships. A Jem'Hadar Battle cruiser met its doom in the fire of  
the Armageddon, the Virginia, and the Kentucky. The Pike and the  
Majestic pulled off a strategic snip job on several Cardassian warships  
as they flew past to take up position behind the Kentucky. The  
Churchill, Nimitz, and the Sullivans made mincemeat of three Jem'Hadar  
scouts coming up behind the Stargazer. The flurry of fire caused a  
momentary halt in the Cardassian-Dominion forces. The Star Fleet  
vessels took advantage of that brief pause. They took up formation.  
The Stargazer lead the formation, with the Kentucky,   
the Virginia, the Churchill, and the Majestic behind and above, below  
and to the right and left of her. Behind them was the Rabin, the Paris,  
the Pike, and the Hikura, Finally the last row was the Devin, the  
Nimitz, the Sullivans, and the Hermes.  
  
On the bridge of the Stargazer, things were busy, but not so  
busy that Marrissa didn't notice one ship's absence. As she looked for  
it, her crew prepared for the last ditch maneuver. The Flare maneuver  
was a single ship tactic usually done by pirates. It had never been  
tried in such a way. Usually it sent a solar flare in the wake of the  
ship, preventing anyone from following and totally disrupting the warp  
trail.  
"Shields are matched," Lieutenant Ross Lochard announced.  
"Metagenic configuration confirmed."  
"Warp field generators synchronized," Lieutenant Szustakowski  
announced.  
"Where is the Armageddon?" Marrissa asked.  
"She's harrying the rear of the Cardassian / Jem'Hadar lines,"  
Jay announced. "She's got all their attention at the moment. Sir, we  
can't delay. They are turning back towards us."  
"Open a channel to the Armageddon," Marrissa ordered.  
"Channel open," Jay replied.  
"On screen," Marrissa ordered. A man with gray hair appeared on  
screen. His captain's uniform was streaked with soot and his bridge  
looked like a tornado had hit it. "Captain Sinclair, what do you think  
you are doing. I'm trying to save all of us, and you're ruining it."  
"Commander Picard, you need us to keep their attention more than  
you need us taking power to be towed out of here," Sinclair responded.  
"I can be more help for you distracting them."  
"I'll be the judge of that," Marrissa stated.  
"No, I will," Sinclair said. "I am the most senior officer  
here, and I'm ordering you to leave now."  
"Sir," Marrissa began to say.  
"Go Lieutenant Commander," Sinclair said. "And take good care  
of those ships. Your are the best chance that they will see home."  
"Understood, Stargazer out," Marrissa ordered, moving back to  
take her seat. "Kathy, set a course directly between those stars.  
Straight line, middle of the way, warp eight, engage."  
  
The whole formation of the starships went into warp, rushing  
between the stars. The massive warp field passed between the stars in  
milliseconds, creating a reaction that no ship in the system had time to  
escape. A flare shot out in the direction the ships had went, then back  
the way they had come. The stars collapsed, then expanded into  
supernovas. In an instant the Armageddon and all the Jem'Hadar and  
Cardassian ships in the system were reduced to their component atoms.  
The base, which the forth fleet had come to destroy, was vaporized. The  
Seventh Fleet's mission had been accomplished at the price of two stars,  
and the starship Armageddon.  
  
101374  
Chapter Two  
  
The twilight of the night shift had descended on the Enterprise.  
Once again Captain Picard found himself walking towards the aft  
observation lounge. He was not surprised to find Clara sitting there  
for the second night in a row. The Seventh Fleet had been due in  
earlier in the day. The only news they had gotten was that their target  
had been destroyed in a supernova. Of the Seventh Fleet there was no  
word.  
"Good Evening, Clara," Jean-Luc Picard greeted.  
"Captain," Clara responded, staring at the stars. The time  
passed for a while in silence. The two just looking at the stars, their  
thoughts with a young teenage girl light-years away.  
"When I was little, I use to go out into the vineyard and stare  
up at the stars," Jean-Luc Picard commented. "They seemed to beckon to  
me. They told me of adventures and people to meet. They were figures  
of permanence that were waiting for me to explore, unchanging though the  
ages."  
"They don't seem so unchanging now," Clara commented. "Not when  
two of them has blown up so unexpectantly."  
"Star Fleet Science is looking into it," Picard said. "I'm  
really regretting approving her transfer. That girl has a habit of  
running into trouble."  
"And coming up smelling of roses," Clara commented.  
"She does have the best luck," Picard said.  
"Yeah, but sometime that has to run out," Clara said, pulling  
her hair back behind her shoulders.  
"Nonsense, Marrissa can get out of any situation she gets into,"  
Picard said. "She's First Officer on the Stargazer, doing the impossible  
is part of the job description. Don't worry, she'll be back."  
"I guess," Clara said. "What brought you here?"  
"I'm worried about Marrissa," Jean-Luc Picard responded, staring  
at the stars.  
"Oh."  
  
It didn't take long for the fleet to pass by the two stars.  
Even so, keeping the combined warp field of the dozen ships balanced was  
a tough job. It wasn't easy on the engines either. "Commander, we've  
got to pull out of this warp field joining," the Chief Engineer said.  
"I'm not sure how much longer the engines can take it. They won't make  
it back to the border."  
"Disengage link up," Marrissa ordered. "We need some place  
quite to make repairs. "How far is the Garrison Nebula?"  
"3 light years," Kathy said from the helm.  
"Have the fleet change course to the Nebula," Marrissa ordered.  
"We'll lay low there for a day or so. Inform the fleet that once we are  
in the nebula, we will be under radio silence. Messages will be passed  
by fighter craft patrols. All ships should be spread just outside of  
visual range of each other once we enter the nebula. Jay, set up a  
patrol rotation. Fighter Bay, prep Sweet Success for use."  
"You're not considering going out there?" Jay stated.  
"Jay, forget about the objections, and just provide her with an  
escort," Ross advised. "It works better that way."  
Marrissa ignored the conversation as the entered the Nebula.  
  
Marrissa had just checked on her Captain. The half-Vulcan was  
still in a Vulcan healing trance. Doctor Johnson did not expect her to  
need to leave it for at least 72 hours. With that established, Marrissa  
was on her way to the fighter bay. She intended to meet with all the  
Captains of the other starships in the Seventh Fleet and make a plan to  
get back to the Federation lines.  
The door to the Fighter bay opened. Her personal fighter craft,  
a gift from the people of Essex for her fifteenth birthday, was sitting  
at the ready. If it wasn't for one thing, she could have just climbed  
in and headed out. Lieutenant Jay Gordon was taking a nap accross it's  
nose and cockpit glass.   
"Jay, I'd like to be able to take my fighter out," Marrissa  
stated.  
Jay opened his eyes, and said, "Sorry Commander, but you aren't  
leaving this ship."  
"And why is that," Marrissa said. "I've got to see my fellow  
Captains."  
"Commander, you are acting Captain of this ship, your place is  
in command of her, not out flying around a nebula."  
"I'm also commanding this fleet, I have to see to it's  
composition as well."  
"That makes you the most important person in this fleet. The  
captains of the other ships should be coming to you," Jay replied. Then  
with a smile, he continued. "In fact they are."  
"What do you mean Jay?"  
"I had purple wing deliver orders for the commanding officers of  
each vessel to report aboard the Stargazer. Green Wing and Blue Wing  
will escort them all here."  
"Lieutenant Jay Alan Gordon... do you know what the penalty for  
falsifying orders is?"  
"Yes, Commander. However, I believe my plan entails much less  
risk to the command staff of this ship. That is one of the duties of a  
first officer, and since you are acting Captain, that is my job. If  
you'd like to dress me down for my methods in doing so, feel free, sir.  
However, since we are in the middle of a war, I respectfully request  
that you consider delaying it until after we are safely behind  
Federation lines again."  
"Very well, Jay... but next time, run it by me first. You never  
know, I might like the idea."  
  
101374  
Chapter Three  
  
Jacqueline Marie Picard was peering around the corner. Her  
mother was talking to her Aunt Marie and Cousin Isabelle. She'd gotten  
bored at playing with her cousin Rene. He just wanted to play with his  
little toy starships. Jackie, as everyone called her, had lived on a  
starship. Playing with starships held no interest for her.  
The almost three year-old girl and her mother had left the  
Enterprise because of the war. They wouldn't return until after it was  
over. Jackie couldn't understand why her father couldn't come with them  
to France. Her mother had said that it was because he was the ship's  
Captain. Jackie couldn't understand why that made a difference. After  
all, mommy was ship's Doctor, and she had gone with Jackie and her baby  
brother Nicholas to France.  
She'd hoped to seen her sister Marrissa here, but she was off in  
some ship called the Stargazer, being second-in-command, what ever that  
was. Jackie liked her big sister, she was fun.  
The word babysitter drifted down to Jackie's ears. That brought  
her hopes up. Marrissa had baby-sat her when Nicholas was born.  
Thoughts of what had happened then surfaced, but she shook away the  
unpleasant memory.  
  
Beverly Picard surveyed the young man that Isabelle had hired to  
watch Jackie, Theresa Isabelle's son Rene. He seemed to be a pleasant  
fellow, with a broad smile and friendly manner. Isabelle had used him  
several times, and said he was very responsible.  
"You must be Doctor Picard, I'm Tom Cox," the young man said. "I  
understand I'm to watch you daughter along with Rene and Theresa  
tonight. I have a few questions to ask. When does she have to go to  
bed? Does she have any medical conditions I should know about?  
"Jackie goes to bed at 7:30," Beverly said. "She can have a  
snack before hand, but not anything with vanilla in it. She's allergic  
to it."  
  
Jackie was playing with blocks. She wanted to play with the  
dolls, but Theresa was, and wouldn't let her join in. Rene would. She  
liked her cousin Rene. Together they were building a castle. Rene was  
much better at building things than Jackie. Jackie's tower fell. She  
stamped her foot once in frustration.  
"It okay, Jackie," Rene said. "Mine always fall."  
"They not yet," Jackie said.  
"They will," Rene said.  
Jackie looked up from their creation. There was man watching  
them that Jackie had never seen. "Who that?"  
"That Tom, babysitter," Rene said. "He nice."   
Jackie walked over to the man. "You not 'Rissa" she said.  
"No I'm not," the man replied. "I'm Tom. Who is 'Rissa?"  
"She big sister," Jackie said. "She my babysitter."  
"Not tonight, Jackie," Tom said. "I'm watching Theresa, Rene,  
and you, while your mothers are out."  
"I want 'Rissa," Jackie said.  
"I can't help you there. I don't know where she is," Tom said.  
"Perhaps you can tell me about her."  
"'Rissa real smart," Jackie began. "She number one on  
Stargazer. Has neat room. No one order her. She play with me. Not  
hog dolls like 'Resa. Dad worry about her. Says she not know fear. I  
want to see 'Rissa."  
"As I said earlier, I don't know where she is," Tom said in a  
mellow voice. "Do you want me to see if we can get Theresa to share the  
dolls with you?"  
Jackie shook her head yes.  
  
Marrissa was not feeling in her element. She sat at the head of  
the table in the fighter debriefing room. It was the position of the  
person in command. The other starship Captains were still moving around  
the room. The commander of the Nimitz had yet to arrive, and they  
weren't beginning until he did.  
This just left her sitting nervously in the chair at the head of  
the table. She was only fifteen. She was only a first officer, her  
Captain was in a coma in Sickbay. With the exception of Lieutenant  
Williams, the Chief Engineer of the Virginia who had taken command after  
the Virginia's bridge had been sheared off, she was the lowest ranked  
person in the room. She really didn't feel like sitting in her seat.  
It felt wrong. She was use to giving orders, on the bridge. She'd even  
lead mission briefings before. Somehow this was different though.  
Finally, Captain Greer of the Nimitz arrived. He immediately  
took the seat to the right of Marrissa. Greer was the senior officer.  
"Good Evening Commander, you look like you're enjoying command," he  
said. "I told my first officer that you'd be commanding a fleet some  
day, after you poked holes in Admiral Scholl's plan."  
"This is not how I planned on doing it," Marrissa said, as the  
other commanding officers began to take a seat. "Are you sure you don't  
want the job?"  
"Commander, you found a way out of a whole sale slaughter,"  
Greer said. "There is a no officer here who had the ability or courage  
to do so. Captain Sinclair yielded command to you. We have no need or  
want to gainsay his opinion. You got us out of trouble and on our way  
back to our lines. The least we can do is to continue to follow you."  
The other Captains, now seated at the table, responded with a  
chorus of "Here, Here."  
"In that case, I'd like a status report on each ship," Marrissa  
said. "Captain Greer."  
"I'm afraid the Nimitz is going to have to be abandoned," Greer  
began. "We've got massive coolant contamination problem. We've  
stabilized all systems, but the ship itself is fast becoming  
uninhabitable. If this weren't a war situation, we could be towed to a  
Starbase and be decontaminated in a week. Since we are at war, we are  
going to have to abandon her."  
"Lieutenant Williams, what's the status of the Virginia?"  
Marrissa said.  
"We've lost our bridge, along with most of our command crew,"  
Williams said. "Other than that, we are in good repair. I'm a little  
short in the security department, and I'm all out of photon torpedoes."  
"Would you object to Captain Greer taking command of your  
vessel?" Marrissa asked.  
"No sir, I would not," Williams said. "I can command in a  
pinch, but I prefer not to."  
"Captain Greer, after we're done, any person needing additional  
crew will stay here," Marrissa said. "I'll assign a couple wings of  
fighters to escort your departing crew. Take the torpedoes as well.  
I'm sure your new command can use them. Leave your ship on minimum  
power. Hopefully, after the war, we'll be able to come back and get  
her. Anyone else have problems?"  
After a moment's silence, she continued, "Then I can expect all  
of your ships to be up to specs."  
"Commander, if the Virginia isn't above specs by the time you  
order us out, you can have my commission," Lieutenant Williams said.  
"Okay, then at 0900 hours tomorrow morning, we'll depart,"  
Marrissa said. "Taking a course towards Risa at warp 8 should bring us  
into contact with our lines around 1300. Until then, keep the chatter  
to a minimum. We probably can't evacuate the Nimitz without some noise,  
but the less we make the better. My Fighter Commander has already  
informed me that Red Wing has killed one Jem'Hadar scout."  
  
101374  
Chapter Four  
  
The Enterprise was under attack. Four Jem'Hadar battleships  
were attacking her in concert. Her only help was a trio of Excelsior  
Class ships, who were held up by a half dozen Jem'Hadar scouts  
themselves.   
Rear Admiral Jean-Luc Picard sat in his chair. His expression  
was determined, no one was getting his ship. Captain Riker was at the  
helm, taking the place of an injured ensign. Data sat at Operations,  
unreadable as always. The Bridge was standing up well to the fight. So  
far, no panels had blown. Still, the dark red lit bridge of battle gave  
a sense of urgency. It was deserved. The Enterprise was shaking under  
fire.  
"Shields at 42 percent, Admiral," the tactical officer said.  
"Number One, hard to port," Picard ordered. "Mr Data, any word  
on reinforcements?"  
"No sir," Data replied. After a moment, he spoke up again.  
"I'm detecting multiple warp signatures coming from Cardassian Occupied  
Space. At least a dozen."  
"We really could use those reinforcements now," Riker commented,  
as the Enterprise made a close pass over one of the Jem'Hadar  
battleships.  
"Incoming call from the approaching ships," Data announced.  
"Identified as the Seventh Fleet, lead by the Stargazer, Commander  
Marrissa Picard commanding."  
"Put her on," Admiral Picard ordered. Marrissa appeared in the  
holographic display beside the viewscreen.  
"Need a hand, Dad?" Marrissa asked.  
"If you don't mind, Marrissa," Jean-Luc Picard said. "It does  
look bad when the Federation Flagship is not winning the battled."  
"It does?" Marrissa said. "I'll remember that. Jay launch all  
fighters. Let me show you what my ship and the Seventh Fleet can do.  
Stargazer out."  
On the Enterprise's main screen, the Stargazer decelerated from  
warp. Seven wings of Seven fighters left her bays, their wings tipped  
red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, and black. All but the Black  
wing took up chase of Jem'Hadar scouts. Black moved in to guard the  
Enterprise. From behind the Stargazer, eleven more ships had come out  
of warp.   
The Ambassador Class starship Kentucky lead the Excelsior Class  
starships Hikura, Hermes and Churchill after one battleship. Anther  
battleship faced the wrath of Captain Greer on the Virginia. He lead  
the Sullivans, the Majestic, and the Pike in a rush designed to make  
sure he didn't have to abandon another ship. The Rabin, the Paris, and  
the Devin joined the Stargazer in an attack on the third battleship.  
The Enterprise's Escorts, whose attackers now had other things to worry  
about, now took on the fourth battle ship.  
"Commander Riker, move in on the ship that the Lee, the Perry,  
and the Patton are targeting," Admiral Picard ordered.   
"Captain, the fighter wing is shooting down all incoming  
torpedoes," the tactical officer reported. "Shields are beginning to  
regain power."  
  
A Jem'Hadar scout cut in front of the Enterprise, the seven  
fighters of purple wing on it's tail. The Enterprise fired on it. One  
scout down. The wing turned toward the scout blue wing was chasing. As  
they passed, it left seven lines of burning Jem'Hadar hull behind it.  
Not all Federation weaponry was on the same settings. Suddenly all over  
the battle field, the Federation fire got a lot more deadly. First it  
was the Virginia's target, then the Kentucky's, the one two explosions  
rocked the Enterprise back and forth. One by one, the Jem'Hadar scouts  
died under fire of the fighters of the Stargazer. The Enterprise, the  
Lee, the Perry, and the Patton destroyed their designated battleship.   
That left the Stargazer's target. The Stargazer lead a run down  
it's kneel, stern to bow. Just as the Stargazer cleared the bow, a  
torpedo impacted right were the port lower warp nacelle was attached.  
The nacelle spun off and exploded. The Stargazer limped off at impluse,  
but it's attacker wasn't so lucky. A score of torpedoes from the Rabin  
and the Devin, impacted on the battleship's rear. The explosion  
engulfed the Jem'Hadar battleship's rear, expanding along it's length,  
consuming the ship in an orange and yellow fireball.  
  
"All Jem'Hadar ships destroyed, sir," Data reported. "Incoming  
call from the Stargazer."  
"On screen, Mister Data," Rear Admiral Jean-Luc Picard ordered.  
"Let's see how my daughter faired."  
The bridge of the Stargazer appeared on the Enterprise's  
viewscreen. To say that it didn't look it's best was an understatement.  
The center helm console was in shambles. A thin haze of smoke hovered  
near the ceiling. Marrissa sat in the center seat. Her hair was a mess  
and she had a small cut on her left cheek. Behind her, the tactical  
officer had somehow managed to rip his left sleeve partially off. Jay  
Gordon was intensely working at his console, ignoring the developing  
bruise on his head.   
"Enterprise, this is the Stargazer," Marrissa said. "I think we  
are going to need a tow."  
"I'd be happy to provide on, Marrissa," Jean-Luc Picard said.  
"I'll tell Starbase 367 to expect us. Is there anything else you need?"  
"No sir," Marrissa replied. "I think we have everything pretty  
much in hand. Just let me recover my fighters and we'll be ready to  
depart."  
"Signal when you are ready, Marrissa," Jean-Luc Picard said.  
"And have someone look at that cut, and Mr. Gordon, don't forget your  
bruise. Enterprise out."  
  
101374  
Epilogue  
  
Admiral Victor Griest had just summoned Lieutenant Commander  
Marrissa Picard. The Stargazer had been towed in to dry-dock earlier in  
that day. Captain T'Gwen Washington was being transported to Vulcan to  
recover from her injures. The Stargazer would take three to six weeks  
before it was ready to return to service. Those weren't the only  
reasons Griest was calling in the first officer of the Stargazer. Moral  
was the lowest it had been since Wolf 359. Marrissa had public  
relations experience as a Princess. After her work with the Seventh  
Fleet, no one was going to call her anything less than a hero. Star  
Fleet needed a hero.  
Marrissa entered the room dressed in a neat uniform. Her hair  
was pulled back with a Star Fleet approved gold barrette. It was a  
marked contrast to the tired teenager who commanded the Stargazer as it  
was towed into dock. She stood at attention in front of Griest's desk.  
"Lieutenant Commander Marrissa Amber Picard reporting as ordered, sir."  
"Commander Picard, are you aware of Star Fleet's opinion of your  
adventures in the Seventh Fleet," the Admiral asked.  
"I just wanted to survive," Marrissa said. "If Star Fleet  
thinks I deserve to be reprimanded for my actions, I am willing to be  
punished. I should have been able to save all of the ships."  
"Commander Picard, we don't want to punish you for your  
actions," the Admiral said. "In fact, Star Fleet has decided to award  
you the Medal of Honor."  
"I don't deserve it, sir," Marrissa said.  
"Nonsense, you saved the remnants of the Seventh Fleet," the  
Admiral said. "You are a hero."  
"No, I'm not sir," Marrissa said, defiant and sadly. "A hero  
would have saved them all. A hero would have come up with some magical  
solution, not some old pirate trick she read about in Captain Pike's  
logs. A hero's solution wouldn't have destroyed two stars."  
"A hero's worse critic is himself," Admiral Griest said.  
"Marrissa, you are a brilliant young officer, who has shown signs of  
becoming an excellent Captain some day. You are also a teenager, going  
though the insecurities and doubt of any young lady. I know, I have one  
myself. You have to learn to stop second guessing you past actions.  
Everyone has twenty-twenty hindsight, Marrissa. Don't let it get you  
down. If you want to look back at what you did, try to do it without  
emotionally involving yourself too much. Both pride and contrite  
behavior can be a good officer's undoing if overdone."  
"Understood sir," Marrissa said stiffly.   
  
Rear Admiral Jean-Luc Picard once again found Clara in the aft  
observation lounge. She was still dressed in the scarlet evening gown  
she had worn to Marrissa's award presentation. The silver tiara still  
held back her long dark hair.  
"What brings you here tonight, Clara?" the Admiral asked.  
"Post Social Event Euphoria," Clara replied. "I come back from  
them one of two ways, extremely tired or unable to get to calm down  
enough to do anything."  
"It was kind of strange to see Marrissa in a dress uniform,"  
Picard said. "I'm so use to her dresses at these types of events."  
"You know, five years ago you wouldn't have seen her in a  
dress," Clara said.  
"Oh?" Picard said.  
"Yeah, she swore off dresses when she was nine after a  
embarrassing gravity failure," Clara said. "Jay still brings up her pink  
panties every once in a while to poke some fun at her."  
"That explains Jay's comment at the Coronation Ball," Picard  
said.   
"It's not as effective as it use to be," Clara said.  
"Especially since Marrissa found a good comeback line."  
"I noticed that Jay looked uncomfortable tonight," Picard noted.  
"He's been having to run shotgun on Hurricane Marrissa," Clara  
said. "Apparently he kept Marrissa from going out in her personal  
fighter to chat with the other Captains of the fleet. He's expecting  
Marrissa to get back at him somehow. I happen to know that she doesn't  
plan on it. In fact she has a lot more respect for Jay now that he's  
finally stood up to her."  
"A good first officer must be willing to stand up to their  
Captain," Picard commented. "It's one of the first things I test when I  
get a new one."  
"I've been first officer for both Marrissa and Data," Clara  
said. "I think I did okay, but I'm not so sure I'd have held for the  
long term like Captain Riker."  
"It's a position that you grow into," Picard said. "New first  
officers tend to be timid and very rarely stand up for their beliefs, of  
course I don't think Marrissa will ever be like that. Not any more.  
She, like less experienced but not new first officers, has developed  
quite a bit of boldness. Marrissa isn't the timid little girl I adopted  
anymore."  
"That's what you get for giving a girl her dream," Clara said.  
She yawned. "I better get to sleep, I'm in charge during Alpha shift  
tomorrow, and Commander La Forge prefers the duty Chief to be early."  
"Good night Clara," Picard said as the young Assistant Chief  
Engineer left the room. He turned toward the windows, looking out at  
the dock and the damaged USS Stargazer.  
  
Aboard the Stargazer, Marrissa pulled her curtains shut, cutting  
off the view of the dock and her father's ship. She climbed into bed  
and fell asleep to the faint sounds of shipboard life.  
  
The End.  



End file.
